In 1996, the Child Safety Advocate awards program was created to recognize Indiana's child passenger safety technicians for their extraordinary efforts in preventing injury and death among children in Indiana. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. Every 32 seconds, one child under the age of 13 in a passenger vehicle is involved in a crash. Research shows that when used correctly, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers in cars.
Indiana has a vast network of child passenger safety technicians, who are dedicated to educating parents and caregivers on matters related to child seat safety, such as finding the right car seat and proper installation. Now under the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the Automotive Safety Program, the Child Safety Advocate awards program was created to recognize those going above and beyond in Indiana to prevent unintentional motor vehicle fatalities. The winners are selected by region every year.